Dark Flight
by NTwebguy
Summary: Post Miranda, the crew is scraping by trying to find jobs. A wave from a friend leads them to a planet in hopes to find work. This will be a crossover but I'm not going to say with what yet. Have to keep reading to find out.
1. Landing

This is my first fan fiction in about a year. Life has been busy but I was re-watching the Firefly series a little while ago and a story idea occurred to me. This will be a crossover story but I'm not going to say with what...I don't want to ruin the surprise. Please read and review, I'm feeling a little rusty. Looking for a beta too if anyone is interested.

Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing Firefly, I promise to give it back when I'm done. :)

**Landing**

"Kaylee how's it going back there?" Captain Malcolm Reynolds yelled over the ship's intercom. They were about to hit atmo and their landing thrusters were on the fritz.

"Uh, everything...is...shiny captain." Kaylee responded back after several moments of silence on the intercom.

"You hesitating, that don't make me feel too good." Mal replied back, looking at the dinosaurs on the console on front of him.

It'd been six months since the events on Miranda, the losses to his crew had hit everyone hard. Zoe had become virtually silent and recluse since Walsh's death. Aside from yes and no responses, Mal could number the conversations they've had over the months on one hand. The dinosaurs had become a shrine to the death of their fallen crew mate.

"She'll hold together, don't worry." Mal could hear the smile on her face all the way from the engine room, almost bringing a smile to his own face.

It seems like nothing could dampen the spirits of his spunky mechanic. She always believed that things would get better, no matter how dark the night everything would be shiny in the morning. And for her it seems they had, Simon had moved into Kaylee's bunk a couple of months ago, they had slowly moved bits and pieces of Simon's stuff into her room until he caught them one night when he couldn't sleep and had been walking the halls. He quietly asked them what was going on and waited for a response as they fumbled with a explanation. With a slight grin he told them pick a room and quit taking up extra space on his boat. Simon was speechless had turned bright red and Kaylee had just given her captain a quick peck on the cheek before running off with Simon.

"Strap yourselves in then, we'll be landing in a few minutes." He called over the intercom to the whole ship. Just then the ship shuddered as the planets gravity grabbed the ship and started pulling them towards the surface. He called the space port authority to land and steered the ship towards the dock. His hope was to find work on Itheros 2, after Miranda it had become harder to get work as he and his crew had become something of celebrates. He was bought drink upon drink but when it came time to talk business he was only offered low paying cargo runs fit for rookies. Even though the Alliance was weaker now, he was at the top of their wanted list now. From what he had heard he had bumped River from the top spot.

As he set the ship down on the landing pad with a bump and shut down the engines he was startled by the ship's youngest member. "River, what did I tell you about sneaking up on people?"

River didn't hear him, all her attention was out the window as she stared out into the space port.

"River? What's wrong?" Simon asked as he entered the bridge, seeing that his sister was in distress.

"Death...blood...sadness..." She responded very softly. River had gotten better following the events surrounding Miranda, she had seemed more at peace and was able to control her abilities, resulting in fewer crazy episodes. In fact Jane had even taken more of a liking to her and had started sparing with her in the cargo hold. Mal secretly loved watching an 18 year old girl throw a full grown man across the room and the string of curses that followed as Jane got back off the floor. She had certainly come along way from the little frozen girl that had woken up in his cargo hold so long ago.

"Don't start that again." Jayne said as he gave River a shove. She snapped out of her somber mood to pouch Jane in the arm.

Hoping to head off another spontaneous sparing match between the two, Mal spoke "OK, Jayne and I are going to see if we can find work. Jarad waved me and said he has some prospects. This far out we can only hope they don't know who we are. I want everyone to be on their best behaviors. I'd like to leave this planet in one piece and without anyone firin' on our tails." He looked a Jayne as he said the last bit of his speech.

"What! It wasn't my fault that the mayor's daughter took a liking to me at our last stop Mal. What can I say, I've got the Cobb charm." Jayne said with a wicked grin.

"Yeah that's what it was" Inara said with a smack to Jayne's head as she walked in the door, looking amazing in her red dress cut perfectly in all the right places. She had decided to stay on Serenity for the time being, stating that she missed the excitement of traveling. She and Mal were on good terms although they still fought often, they seemed to be less at each others throats. She had kept her status as a registered companion but hadn't taken any clients since Miranda, instead she had used her network of clients and friends to help the crew find work.

Mal smirked, "Alright, Kaylee look after those thrusters, don't want one falling off when we leave. Zoe, River and Simon tend to the supplies. And everyone...watch your step."


	2. Itheros II

Thanks to those of you that reviewed and have added me to your alert lists. It is always a great feeling to know people are reading my story.

Just a quick note on my chapters / writing style, the last chapter was obviously very much an introductory chapter. Most of the time when I write a chapter i see it as a single scene in my head. So that's why some chapters are longer / shorter than others and why I might post multiple little chapters. I think it makes it easier to read if you don't have to scroll through a really long page and as the reader can expect a scene change in the next chapter.

I promise that we'll see some more crazy behavior from River in the coming chapters.

**Itheros II**

The planet Itheros II looked very nice from space, with it's wide oceans, mountain peaks and large cities with their twinkling lights. But on the ground it was a different story, it was dark, dirty and grimy place...especially the space port. The towering buildings blocked much of the sunlight from reaching the streets below, creating a almost continuous dusk effect, never dark but never truly daylight. The planet was on the outskirts of the Alliance core planets and following the events of Miranda had announced its independence from the Alliance. It seemed like a good idea at the time to the elders of the planet, no taxes to the Alliance and control over their homeworld. The Alliance had been focusing on keeping the inner planets united and let Itheros II go without putting up any fight. But 6 months later after what was left of the Alliance security and police forces had been reassigned, the criminals quickly took control of the planet, caring little for the people and even less for their problems. But caring an whole lot about anything going on or off planet, taking huge cuts of anything that could possibly be profitable. Which for the crew of Serenity meant that there was probably a job to be had by someone who did not want to give a cut to the mob and also meant that Mal could ask for top dollar.

"This planet smells to high heaven." Jayne said as he scrunched up his face.

"That is one thing I'll give the alliance, they do keep the streets clean." Mal replied squinting into the twilight looking for their meeting spot.

The pair walked into the bar that Jarad had told Mal about. The bar actually smelled a little nicer and was slightly better lit then the streets outside.

"This Jarad guy has pretty good taste. " Jayne said as he eyed a couple of the waitress who outfits didn't cover a whole lot.

Mal looked around the bar until he saw their contact and then glanced around the room looking for anything suspicious

"Expecting trouble?" Jayne asked.

"Lets just say that Jarad and I don't have the smoothest history." Mal said.

"Do you have a smooth history with anyone?" Jayne replied with a smirk which earned him "the look" from the captain.

Mal guided them through the crowed bar and they slid into the booth with Jarad. Jarad was enjoying the company of one of the waitresses and nursing a what looked to be at least his third beer. Although he looked by no means intoxicated, Jarad was a large man and could probably hold quite a bit of liquor.

"Malcolm, how you been?" Jarad asked while giving Mal a firm handshake.

"Doing all right I all things considered." Mal replied eying Jarad suspiciously and glancing around the bar again.

"Malcolm, Malcolm. Relax." Jarad said with a forced laugh.

"I seem to recall the last time you said "relax" you had a shotgun to my head." Mal said as the girl brought drinks to the table.

"That was a long time ago." Jarad said.

"So you got work for us?" Jayne jumped in. Mal glared at Jayne and Jarad looked a little annoyed.

"Yes I do have heard of a couple of people wanting to move stuff off world, discretely and with no questions asked." Jarad looked at Jayne.

"We can do that." Mal replied quickly before Jayne could open his mouth. "What's this connection going to cost us?"

"I think twenty percent should be fair." Jarad said greedily.

Mal scoffed at that, "Yeah when pigs fall from the sky. I'll send you ten percent when the job is done."

"Fifteen up front." Jarad countered.

"Jarad, you know I don't have that type of money here with me. Even if I did, I wouldn't carry it around...fifteen and I'll wire it to you." Mal said as he took a large swallow of his beer, knowing what was coming next and hating that there was nothing he could do about it.

"Malcolm, you know I trust you but I'll be coming with you to collect my part. You know a vacation would be nice right about now."

"Fine." Mal said with a frown. He knew he didn't have a whole lot of choice in the matter. If he wanted to get these jobs this is how it was going to be. "Just so we are clear Jarad, this is my boat and my rules."

Jarad agreed and pulled out a communicator and after it connected with the other end mumbled a few words. "Our first client will be along shortly."

He held up his hand and signaled the waitress for another round. "Mal don't look so annoyed, you're are going to receive a nice payday from our little venture."

About ten minutes later the first client showed up. He was a very thin man who went by the name of Aswred and spoke very quickly. The deal was pretty standard, twenty crates of goods to be delivered to Whiterings III. Mal added it up in head which put a slight smile on his face, finding that Jarad was right, it was a nice payday. They quickly sealed the deal and Aswred handed a Mal a deposit and told him that the crates would be delivered later that night to their cargo hold. Jarad called the second customer and again they waited about another 10 or so minutes.

The second man was tall and scruffy and looked like he hadn't washed his clothes or showed in weeks. He said that he was looking to ship a single large crate off world to the planet Caliso and he would be coming a long for the ride. Mal didn't like the look of the man but a job was a job. So he pushed hard for a larger payment to his surprise the man readily agreed. Mal kept the surprise from showing on his face although Jayne had a slight grin.

"We'll be breaking atmo at dawn. Have yourself and your crate loaded by then." Mal said as he pocketed the man's earnest money. Jayne and Mal stood and looked at Jarad, "You too, if you aren't there by dawn, we leave without you."

"I'll be there." He said with what seemed to be his signature greedy grin, Mal was really beginning to hate that grin. This was going to be a long flight.


	3. Negotiations

Gwenfrewi72: Thanks for catching my huge mistake. It had been a while since I had started this story and somehow I had totally missed the fact that Wash was dead... I need to read my story more closely. In my defense I was excited to start writing again.

Anyway, Here is Chapter 3 agin

**Negotiations**

The twenty crates were already stowed on board, by the time Mal and Jayne had returned to the ship. Zoe had seen to it that they were tied down properly and ready to go. The thin man, as Mal had labeled him in his head, was wheeling his large crate into the cargo hold. Mal couldn't quite put his finger on what really bothered him about the thin man.

"Are we ready to lift Kaylee?" Mal said as the girl came to his side.

"Everything is shiny Captain." She said with one of her famous smiles. "The thrusters are fully functional but I really could use some more ground time to..."

"We'll see about that ground time in about two weeks, we are lifting in 30 minutes." Mal cut her off before she went into one of her long winded speeches about converters and wires and...other stuff that he didn't fully understand.

Kaylee smiled in her sweet way and made her way back to the engine room.

Mal sat on a crate and watched the thin man tie down his cargo.

"Darkness... swirling... anger overwhelming all senses...."

"Shut up littl' witch" Jayne said as he walked up the ramp into the cargo hold. The thin man looked up at the girl with a quizzical look as she laid lazily in her perch.

"Don't pay her no mind now." Mal told the man, not wanting to loose a paying customer. "She just has a funny way of talking."

The thin man just grunted and quickly finished tying down his crate and picked up his bag as he moved towards the passenger dorm.

"I know, I know... no scaring off of the paying passengers... Next time I'll wait till we lift." River said with a smile and scampered to go ready the ship.

"Good morning Captain." Jarad said with a yawn as tossed his bag down on the deck.

"Jarad." Mal said with a grimace. He grabbed a communicator and clicked it on. "Lets fly."

Mal hit the button to close the cargo door as he felt the engines come online and showed Jarad to the passenger dorms.

--------------

Mal had trouble sleeping that night. All day he had watched his two passengers carefully. There was something going on between the two. He didn't trust Jarad as far as he could throw him and the thin man was giving off all sorts of weird vibes. It wasn't just that he was quiet but he kept looking at River as if she had ratted him out for something he'd done. Seeing that he wasn't going to get much rest he pulled on his boots and decided to take a walk around the ship.

Usually he enjoyed it when the ship was quiet. The quiet hum of the engine radiating throughout the ship. The quiet that all was well in his world. That quiet was missing tonight. Replacing it was the quiet before the storm. Mal felt for the reassurance of his trusty side arm. With a sinking feeling deep in his gut knowing that it would be used soon.

Mal found his way to the cargo bay to see Jarad and the thin man quietly arguing.

"I will not renegotiate with you. You agreed to a 15% cut and that's all you're going to get." The thin man said.

"But that was before I found out what you were moving, this could be dangerous for all of us." Jarad replied

"Again 15% was the agreed upon price."

Jarad shifted his weight as if to change gears with his argument, "Yes we did. But now things have changed. What if the captain and crew were to learn of what they are really carrying on board their ship. I know Malcom, he thinks of this piece of crap ship to be his home. I think that a 50/50 split..."

"Look..." The thin man's eyes flashed. "I don't take threats lightly."

He grabbed Jarad by the neck with a lighting quick move. "I don't like you but since you found this idiot captain that doesn't have a clue what's going on...I'm going to give you a break... I'm not going to kill you..."

He roughly shoved Jarad into a large crate. Jarad jumped up and swung at the man with a knife he pulled from his belt. The two men danced around each other, looking for an opening. Jarad swung and missed as the man jumped at his arm and disloged the knife. Throwing him into some canisters on the ground. By now the crew was beginning to wake and gather.

"Alright some entertainment. And here I thought this was going to be a dull run." Jayne said quietly as he moved next to his captain.

Jarad regained his footing and lunged at the man again. This time when the man grabbed him there was a sharp crack as the man broke his arm. Jarad cried out in pain and dropped to his knees cradling his arm.

Mal felt like he had heard enough and stepped out of the shadows where he had been listening from.

"Ah now, that was just cute. A little lov'rs quarrel." Mal said as he drew his gun. "Either of you care to explain what the problem was between you two?"

The thin man looked him in the eye and spoke, "Just a misunderstanding."

"Well that is how most wars are started. Why don't you elaborate on that before you and I have a misunderstanding."

By now the doctor had been woken and had started looking at Jarad's arm. "It's a bad break captain, I need to get it set."

Mal just nodded at him and spoke to Jayne, "Jayne, why don't you see if you can't make our guest more comfortable."

Jayne smiled wickedly and quickly tied the thin man's hands and guided him out of the cargo bay.

"Why can't we find normal passengers? Other ships have them, why do we get all the crazy people." Jayne said looking directly at River

River gave him a look as if she might attack him and burst into giggles when he slightly cowered.

Zoe rolled her eyes and faced the Captain. "What's the plan sir?"

"Let's let Jayne take a crack at our thin man. I'm going to have a talk with Jarad. You and River take a look through the mans things and cargo and let's see what might have caused this argument."


End file.
